


Imperfect Imposters

by DesertLily



Series: Sea Salt Family [1]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Angst, Anxiety, Depression, Hurt/Comfort, Isa is trying to be a good dad, Other, Sea Salt Family, the others are just mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-20
Updated: 2019-09-20
Packaged: 2020-10-24 18:01:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20710217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DesertLily/pseuds/DesertLily
Summary: Naminé has doubts about her own place in the world and a growing anxiety as she desperately tries to fit in. Isa does his best to help.





	Imperfect Imposters

**Author's Note:**

> Wow! My first KH fic and I’m not sure of it turned out

Naminé’s earliest memories were of being called non-existent; a witch only there to serve a purpose and to be discarded once that purpose was fulfilled. She was a Nobody. She was someone no one should miss. Someone no one should care about! She was Kairi’s Nobody; the Nobody of a Princess of Heart. That should have been the only extraordinary thing about her. Then after she had fused back with Kairi, she should have stopped existing. She should have become nothing. Yet she remained a part of Kairi’s consciousness; able to materialise herself from the briefest of times. But she was still part of Kairi. She still had never experienced the true meaning of ‘self’. So when she had first been given a body and allowed to live, Naminé had been terrified. Everything had been so similar but so different. She had faked emotions before; simply imagined what they felt like but now that she had her own? It was over-whelming. It was unlike anything she had ever expected before. That was when the seeds of doubt within her own mind began to blossom.

At first, she had felt lost. A child stuck with some scientists and not truly wanted. Then there was Riku there to greet her and spend time with her. His presence caused emotions inside her that she had yet to find a name for. With him around, she felt like she at least some form of purpose; some reason for existing. It was...good. But Riku couldn’t stay forever. He left and the terrible thoughts grew stronger.

Even when Roxas found her again and offered her a home, it wasn’t enough to chase away the terribleness inside her mind. She gained a family in Roxas, Xion, Isa, and Lea. She gained somewhere safe and people who truly cared about her. Or at least, they claimed to. The voice in the back of her mind insisted otherwise. It insisted they were only being polite and they never truly cared. It insisted she didn’t truly belong. The seeds of doubt blossomed in to flowers. They were white lilies. White, pure, and full of sorrow. They overwhelmed her mind.

Of course, Naminé never did tell anyone about her predicament. So used to being a Nobody she simply suspected no one would care? After all, she never got in to the family as easy as Xion and Roxas had. She struggled to find a place without feeling overlooked. But overlooked she was. No one noticed the way her smiles were tiny - never expanding in to true grins - or the panic that filled her at being in crowded places. Naminé’s favourite place was being hidden away in her room where she could draw and paint to her heart’s desire; where she could express her emotions in pictures that no one but her would ever see. It worked for a while. It helped her cope and to at least pretend she could be okay.

As time went on, she began to realise that being okay was impossible. Naminé was just an inconvenient burden on her ‘family’ and perhaps she should just leave. Perhaps they would be happier then; more whole once they were relieved she was gone. So a plan had formed in her mind. Saving up the allowance Isa and Lea offered to her, she began to store it away along with a few supplies as she packed. The backpack was surprisingly light with only a change of clothes, the money, her sketchpad, and a bottle of water inside. She hoped it would be enough to last her until she found somewhere new. If not...Naminé would deal with that bridge when she got there.

At first, the plan had worked wonderfully. She had waited for everyone to fall asleep before slipping out of their home with ease. From there, she had simply run. It may never be night in Twilight Town but it was the time of day where almost everyone was sleeping. There was no one to see her leave; no one to watch her go. Running further and further in to the city, Naminé let herself become lost. It was oddly familiar in a way. To be lost and alone with out any certainty as to where she belonged. That didn’t mean she liked the feeling. Not even remotely. But it was better than feeling like a burden. There was only one issue with Naminé’s escape plan; she had no way of getting away from Twilight Town. She didn’t own a gummi ship and she doubted any commercial ships going to some other world would let a teenager go unaccompanied.

So she spent her time roaming Twilight Town and hiding away as she desperately tried to plan out her future. The water didn’t last long neither did the money. But Naminé didn’t go back ‘home’. She couldn’t. Not when she saw flashes of red hair as someone called her name or a blonde boy and a dark haired girl race around the city. Was it cowardice or just plain fear? There was one person she never saw looking; one person who seemed to validate her fears. Isa. If he didn’t want her back then maybe nobody else did too, right? It made sense to her.

That was, of course, until he was the one who found her. Naminé had lost track of how many days she had been gone for. She just knew she was exhausted and hungry and oh so unbelievably thirsty. Hiding away in an alley way, the girl pulled her knees up to her chest. It was one of the rare occasions that it was raining in Twilight Town and she was soaked to the bone. Slowly, she let her eyes slip closed. She wasn’t sure how long she sat there for before she felt a hand rest on her shoulder as someone knelt down beside her. “....Naminé?” Fear filled her as she slowly opened her eyes, expecting complete disapproval or anger. Instead, she was met with a very worried Isa. More concerned than she had ever seen him before.

“...G-go away...” Her voice barely managed to reach above a whisper as her teeth chattered wildly. Though, Isa didn’t seem to listen to her words. Instead he moved to take off his own coat and wrap it around the girl. Naminé couldn’t help but pull it tightly around herself, desperate for the warmth it provided. “Won’t you get cold?”

Isa sighed softly as a deep frown seemed to find its way on to his face. Naminé looked down, unable to meet his eyes. “Come home.” His voice was more gentle than she had ever heard it before. “Lea and the others have always been so worried...I’ve been worried, Naminé.”

She finally found herself meeting his gaze. “...Okay.” The word was nervous and reluctant as she tried to get up. Her legs quivered beneath, leading to her stumbling forward. Thankfully, Isa was there to catch her. The look of worry in his face seemed to grow.

“Allow me.” He sighed before moving to carefully pick the girl up, clearly worried about upsetting her or startling her. Thankfully, Naminé didn’t protest.

* * *

  
Naminé must have fallen asleep some time on the way home. When she woke up, it was to someone laying her down on her bed. She was ‘home’. Somehow that fact brought her little reassurance. It was the last place she wanted to be. Though, Naminé supposed It was better than freezing to death in some back alley. Isa didn’t initially move to leave once he had set her down. “Change on to something dry. I’ll go get you some tea.” Even then, he seemed reluctant to leave her alone. Eventually, he left the room and headed downstairs.

Naminé was quick to do as he said. From her time as a Nobody, it had become instinct to do almost anything anyone ‘superior’ to her told her to. Out of habit or fear, she wasn’t quite sure. Once changed into the warmest pyjamas she could find, Naminé curled up on her bed. Isa’s gentleness confuses her. Why would he care? Why would he want her home? Why would any of them want her home? She was just a burden after all...

Before she could think on it further, Isa was back holding a cup of tea. “You fake tea with milk and two sugars, right?” He smiled gently as he handed her the mug. Naminé nodded slowly. “Lea said he’d make you something to eat. I- We’re just glad to have you home.”

Naminé dipped at her tea slowly. She thought for a few moments before saying a single word. “Why?”

That seemed to throw Isa off slightly as he stared at her in mild confusion. “Naminé, you’re part of this family and we care about you. All of us do.” The sincerity in his voice caused a small spark of hope inside of Naminé. Was...was he being serious? Was she really wanted? “...We found your sketches.”

“Oh.” Was the only response she could offer. What was she supposed to say? How was she supposed to explain the emotions expressed on the pages? The dark thoughts she had brought to life in ever sketch. “...Are you mad?”

“Worried.” Isa corrected her softly, moving to sit on the bed beside her. “If something’s wrong, Naminé, you can talk to us. We care about you. Don’t doubt that. Whatever is going on...” He sighed.

“I just didn’t think anyone would notice if I was gone.” She whispered, feeling shame rise within her. “I’ve always just been a part of Kairi or just a Nobody to be used by whoever got hold of me.” She stared in to his eyes at that.

“I am not the man I was when I was with Organization XIII and both Lea and myself will always try to make up for the part we played.” He seemed to hesitate before wrapping an arm around her. “You seem to forget that we were all Nobodies too. But now we are all somebodies and you will always be wanted here. Got it memorised?” The last sentence was accompanied but an awful impersonation of Lea.

A quiet giggle escaped Naminé at that as she nodded slowly. “Thank you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Love it? Hate it? Comments are always a appreciated


End file.
